Artificial limb.



R. B. DICKSONl ARTIFICIAL LIMB. APPLICATION mso AUG. 10. I918.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

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H. B. DICKSON. ARTIFICIAL LIMB. APPLICATION FILED AUG. I0 I9I8.

Pat

Clflowvug ented Feb.

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ROBERT BRADLEY nIcKsoN, or was: POINT, MISSISSIPPI.

ARTIFICIAL LIME.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 18, 1919.

Application filed August 10, 1918. Serial No. 249,362.

artificial leg, in the use of which the functions of the various partsof the natural leg are simulated in a life-like manner.

It is another object of my invention to provide an improved pneumaticcushion for the stump receivingsocket of the limb, wherebyfriction'u-pon the stump islobviated and it is cooled. a

'It is also one ofthe detail objects ofthe invention to provide improvedmeans for 1 operatively connecting the heel and toe portions of; thefoot to the shank of the limb.

The invention likewise has for its object to provide an artificial leghaving a hollow shank and foot body formed of elastic material inclosingthe mechanical parts of the device, and means for inflating the elasticbogg. i

ith the above and other objects in new,

. the invention consists in the improved conseparate toes of solidconstruction.

struction, combination and relative arrangement of the several parts aswill be hereinafter more fully described, subsequently claimed andillustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar referencecharacters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views,and wherein Figure 1 is aside elevation. of my improved artificial limbillustrating one embodiment thereof; 7 i

Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section,

Fig; 3 is a horizontal section taken onthe line 33 of Fig. 2; a

Fig. 4 is a section taken on the line 4.-et of Fig. 2; and r Fig. 5 is adetail perspective view of the ball Joint member :and the toe plate ofthe fOOt.

Referring in detail. to the drawings, 5

designates the-calf section, 6 the foot sec tion, and? the thighsectionof a continuous hollow wall constituting the body of the limb.The foot section may be provided 1s hollow body :is preferably made u oflaminations of fabric and rubber adhesively secured together. I haveillustratedin the drawlngs, a limb which is designed for use in thosecases where the natural limb has been amputated above the knee joint. Itwill, therefore, be understood that in those cases where the amputationhas been made below the knee joint, the thigh portion 7 of the hollowbody is, of course, eliminated and the stump receiving socket, to bepresently described, is secured within the upper end of the calf section5 of said body.

A cylindrical shank s is vertically disposed Within the hollow section 5and at its lower end 1s bored out to receive a bushing 9 having a flangeor head 10 contacting with the lower end face of said shank. A rod 11,loosely engaged through said bushing, has a metal disk 12 fixed on itslower end. The other end ofthis rod is threaded to receive ad ustingnuts 13 which are housed within the end of the shank 8. A coil spring 14is disposed upon said shank between the flange 10 and the disk 12 andacts to yieldingly urge said disk downwardly and into engagement withthe heel portion of the hollow bodyof the limb.

A steel plate 15 is engaged at one of its ends upon the bushing 9 andagainst the lower end of the shank 8 and extends horizontally andforwardly from said shank. The forward end of this plate is fixed to atransverse bar 16 extending entirely across the foot at the ballthereof. A plate of resilient spring metal 17 is hinged to the bar 16,as shown at 1 8, and extends forwardly into the toe portion of the foot6. One end of a spring metal strap 19 is hingedly conin parallelrelation to the shank 8, as indicated at 21. and then again extendedforwardly and hinged to the'rear side of the bar 16, as at 22. Bolts 23are fixed in the shank 8 in vertical, spaced relation to each other andare loosely engaged through the medial portion 21 of the strap 19. Coilsprings 24 aredisposed upon said bolts between the strap and the shank 8and yieldingly retain said metal strapin spaced relation to-the shank. 1I

The shank 8 is" formed witha' threaded bore '25 opening into the upperend thereof and in this bore a rod 26 is adjustably engage'd: This rodis secured to or integrally formed with the ball member 27 of the balland socket knee joint. Anut 28 threaded upon said rod is adapted to "beengaged wlth the upper end of the shank 8 to retain the rod in itsadjusted position.

29 designates the stump receiving socket, also having a threaded rod 30fixed to its base for engagement in the interiorly threaded tubularshank 31 of the socket member 32 of the knee joint. This socket memberat diametrically opposite, points is pivotedor hinged to theball memberQ'Hasshown 'at 33. Preferably, the Wall of the hollow body, within whichthe several parts are. inelosed, is heavily reinforced with fabric aboveand below the knee joint as shownat 3i. Alock nut- 35 is'also threadedon the rod'30 toretain said rod in-its adjusted positionin'the shank 31.

The stump receiving socket/29 is constructed of wood, and is providedwith an outerperipheral rubber band 36 to which the upper edge of thethigh section 7 of" the hollow body may be cemented. It is apparent,

however, that'if desired-various other means may be adopted for securelyfasteningthe body of the limb to SttlCl SOCketIBEIIlbGl. The wall ofthis stump socket 29 isyformed with-"a duct or' passage 37extending-longitud'inally through one side thereof and in the upper endof this passage' an air valve 38 is arranged. Tothe-stcm of said valve,asuitable. in tiating pump may be connectcd wl rereby air under pressuremay be suppliedthrough the-passage 37 to the interior of the hollowbody, whereby the collapse of'the body wal-ls. under exterior pressureis effectually prevented.

The; stump socket-29 is provided with an interior sheet rubber wall 39having a plurality ofinwardly projecting air et nipples 40. Thewa-ll ofthe socket member has a series of breather valves 41 therein to supplyatmospheric air to thespace between the yieldablerubber wall 39 and thewall of the socket. These valves: open inwardly. Thus, the pressureof'the stump on the wall 39 against the air cushion betweensaid Walland, the. wall of the; socket, closes the valves 41- while the airis'delivered' inwardly in" a series of ets 1 through the nipples 40 uponthe sturnp. The yieldable wall 39 may be securely-fixed in: anyprcferredmanner to the-.upper edge of the 'wall of the stump socket 29.To the diametrically opposite sides ofthe socket-29, upwardly extendingarms 42ers fi'xcd, andto: the upper ends of these arms, plates-43 arehingedly connected at oneof their ends, asat 44: Each of these plates isprovided with' a series of openings 45 to receive spaced studs 46projectingfrom opposite, sides of a' split annular leather band--47.Thespacededges of'this band may be connected-together and the band tghtly contracted on. the thigh "by resilient toe' plate extending intothe hollow fully understood. By the provision ofthe' toe portion of thefoot section of the limb,

and the resilient metalstraplt? connected to therballjoint. bar 1'6va'ndto-said foot' plate, the. toe'portion of the'foot may flexor bend in amanner closely simulating the movement of then-atural foot. :By theadjustment of the nuts; 13, thetension dfthespring 14. may be properlyregulated in accordance.

with the weight of theperson using-the limb. By the provision of tlie."pneumatic body within which the jzoints'el'ements are housed orcontained, 1- have succeeded I greatly re'ducingithe Weight of such,ci'al limbs and by injecting. air into the stump socket in the-manneraboivecxphaiinired,

heating-of the-stump by friction israflsootiviated. Thus, the devicemay; be-wont with a maximum of comfort. The/device aswa whole is also-ofrelatively simplercnnstruetion, not liable to get out of order, antioapable of manufacture "at. comparatively small cost.

While Iha'vewherein shownnaid described the preferred construction andarrangement of the "several parts, it is-to he nnclerstoo d that thedevice iss susceptible of considerable modification 3 therein and I,accordinglfif re serve the privilege 'ofadopting :all' such legitimatechanges: as. may be. fairly ernbddi'efdx. within the spirit and scope ofthe inventionas claimed.

I claim:

1. In an artificial limb, a.'lnillovvmay in"- cluding calf and foot?sections having yield"- able inflatable" walls; and jointed shank andfoot members*heused within therrespec-s tivesectionsof'the hollow body;

21 In "an artificialllimb shankya 'horizontal platefixedto: the lcwverendof the shank and extending forwardly therefrom, a resilient footplate liirrgedly' connected to the forward end of said fixed'plateand aresiliently yield-able man strap hingedly connected to the forward endof the: listed late and to said foot plate? respectively-to yielding-1yretain the latter in: a normal presition.

"3'. In 3111:" artificial limb,; ashank, aihori zontal" plate "fixed to"theilowerend; 'ofithe shank and extending forwardly therefrom,

a resilient foot 'plate hingedly connected" to the forwalrdrend of saidfined plateg. a resiliently 'y-iel'dable Install "strap" hin'gedlyconnected 'tothe- 1 forward end" of the fixed; plate and to said footplate-r respectively to yieldi'ngly retainithe'latter in anormalfp'osition, a bolt fixedin?the shank upen whiehy said strap isloosely engaged, and a spring on said bolt urging the metal strap in onedirection.

In an artificial limb, a shank, yieldable supporting means adjustablyconnected to the lower end of the shank, a bar constituting the ball ofthe foot rigidly connected to said shank in spaced relation thereto, aforwardlyextending foot plate hinged to said bar, a resilient metalstrap hingedly connected at oneof its ends to the foot plateintermediate theends thereof, the other end of said strap being hingedlyconnected to said bar, and means connecting the medial portion of saidstrap to the shank.

5. In an artificial limb, a stump receiving socket and means forsupplying air to the interior of the socket including suction opened airvalves mounted in the wall of the socket, and means arranged within thesocket and yieldable under pressure of the stump thereon to alternatelydraw air into the socket and force the same under pressure around thestump.

6. In an artificial limb, a stump receiving socket having a plurality ofinwardly opening air valves in the wall thereof, a yieldable wallarranged within the socket in spaced relation to the Wall thereof andhaving a plurality of inwardly projecting air jet nipples, the air inthe space between said wall and the wall of the socket being forcedunder the pressure of the stump on said yieldable wall through the jetnipples and around the stump. I

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature in the presence oftwo witnesses.

V R. BRADLEY DIGKSON.

Witnesses:

H. O. RomNsoN, J. Arrnnwrrrrn.

Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. G.

